Following a successful M-1 debut this past April in Japan in which
Blackledge submitted Tatsuya
Mizuno with a rear naked choke at 3:22 of round 1, Blackledge
emerged as one of England's team leaders.

At the time, Team England indicated that Blackledge had been
scratched due to injury. However, reports have surfaced that the
Wolfslair Academy product was busy assisting teammate and close
friend Quinton "Rampage" Jackson as a coach during the recent
taping of Spike TV's hit reality show, The Ultimate Fighter.

The upcoming tenth season, featuring heavyweights Roy Nelson
and Kimbo Slice, was shot over the course of six weeks in Las
Vegas, preventing Blackledge from competing. But when England
attempts to clinch a playoff berth by winning its best-of-five
matchup vs. Group A rival Team Spain, Blackledge will be back in
action.

Blackledge will look to improve his M-1 Challenge record to 2-0
when he faces Spain light heavyweight Enoc Solves at Studio 22 in
Hilversum, Holland on August 15. The Team Spain vs. Team England
matchup will be one of six M-1 Challenge matchups featured during a
two-day mega taping.

And while Blackledge will be returning to the Team England fold,
the squad will be without both lightweight Ian Butlin and
heavyweight Rob
Broughton. Butlin, recently featured in a documentary on Bravo
in the U.K., has been forced to retire due to multiple facial
fractures. Meanwhile, Broughton, who had been scheduled to take on
Jessie
Gibbs on Aug. 1 at Affliction's ill-fated "Trilogy" event, will
remain off the roster as it is rumored he could face Gibbs on Aug.
28 during M-1 Global's "Breakthrough" event in Los Angeles.

Stepping in for Butlin is Scott
Hewitt while David Keeley has gotten the call to fill
Broughton's shoes. Hewitt is a former professional soccer and rugby
player and is 1-0 since making his professional MMA debut, thanks
to his prior training in both boxing and judo. Like Hewitt, Keeley
is also undefeated (3-0) and was a professional athlete before
converting to MMA. A former basketball player, the 27-year old will
become the tallest competitor ever to fight for the M-1 Challenge
at 6'10''.

"What Dave Keeley lacks in experience he more than makes up with
enthusiasm, power and freakish size," said England coach Aaron
Chatfield. "He has a challenge in front of him, but we are
confident Dave (and his team) will rise to."

"M-1 Challenge is known for it's huge heavyweights and at six foot,
ten inches, we feel we have the biggest heavyweight out there now,"
said team manager Ian Dean. "We are confident of him doing the
business, especially if the five bout series against Team Spain
comes down to the clutch fifth bout."

Joining Blackledge, Hewitt, and Keeley will be returnees Simon
Phillips (welterweight) and Matt Thorpe
(middleweight). Tied with Team France with overall records of 1-1
and individual records of 5-5, a Team England win combined with a
Team France loss sends the British to the M-1 Challenge semifinals
in just their first season. If both teams win or both teams lose,
the team with the most individual wins will advance.

The current lineup for the Team England vs. Team Spain matchup on
Aug. 15 at Studio 22 in Hilversum, Holland is as follows:

Billed as the "World Cup of Mixed Martial Arts," the M-1 Challenge
is a full season of MMA events sponsored by partner Affliction that
showcases some of the best up and coming MMA fighters in the world.
Broadcast to over 80 countries around the world, including HDNet in
the United States, the M-1 Challenge pits teams of five fighters
representing their respective countries against each other for
international bragging rights and the title of M-1 Challenge
Champions.

The "M-1 Challenge Presented by Affliction" affords MMA prospects
all over the world an opportunity to test their skills, gain
valuable experience at the international level, and become future
stars in the sport of MMA. Fighters who succeed on the M-1
Challenge's international breeding ground will earn the opportunity
to participate in major MMA events presented by M-1 Global and
their promotional partners such as Affliction Entertainment.